Clasp for clothing



(No Model.)

J. V. PILGHER. CLASP FOR CLOTHING.

No. 458,485. Patented Aug. 25, 1891.

film 172 1101167".

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UNITED STATES PATENT, FFICE.

JOHN V. PILCHER, OF LOUISVILLE. KENTUCKY.

CLASP FOR CLOTHING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,485, dated August 25, 1891.

Serial No. 392,464. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN V. PILCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of J efferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps for Clothing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,sueh as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that kind of clasps which are used to hold portions of clothing together; and its object is to provide means for holding two portions of clothing firmly within the jaws of the clasp, or to hold the clasp itself upon a single piece of clothing, and thereby to hold another portion of clothing attached to the clasp at the opposite end of the jaws.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts forminga claspfor clothing hereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a side elevation of the clasp according to my invention with its jaws open ready to be applied to any article. Fig. II is a similar side elevation of my clasp closed upon two pieces of fabric in position for service. Fig. III is a top View of the same clasp closed, and Fig. IV is a sectional rear end view of the same. Fig. V is a side elevation of one of my clasps with the lever-handle to the rear of its pivotal point.

5 represents the stationary jaw, )rovided with upward-turned ears 6 about midway its length.

7 represents the upper or movable jaw, also provided with ears 8, adapted to be engaged to the ears 6 by means of a pivot-pin 9.

10 represents a spring, which in the pres ent case is represented as a piece of wire spirally coiled around the pivot 9 and provided with two arms 11, whose normal action is to spread the jaws open, as shown in Fig. I.

12 represents an elbow-lever hung to the rear end of the jaw-plate 7 by a peculiar hinge-joint at 13. hen thehandle 14: of the lever 12 is raised, as in Fig. I, the brace portion 15 of the lever will be in a horizontal position pressed closely between the rear ends of the jaws 5 and 7. By pushing the handle 14 forward the brace 15 will gradually slide rearward upon the lower jaw-plate and force the rear end of the two jaw-plates apart, thus closing the forward ends 16 17, as in Fig. II, upon any objects which it may be desired to hold together, or it may be in the same manner closed upon a single object. The rear end of either of the jaw-plates may be provided with a loop 20 or other common means for attaching the clasp to another objectas, for, example, a stocking may be attached to the rear end, and the jaws of the forward end maybe engaged with a portion of underwearto hold the stocking in place.

The peculiarity of the hinge 13 consists in a perforation 18, (shown in Fig. III.) through which the handle end 14 of the lever 12 is inserted upward until shoulders19, formed on the lever, Fig. IV, prevent its further passage. Thelever 12 maybe completely formed and given the proper angle between the parts 14 and 15, and then be'inserted in the jaw 7, after which the twojaws maybe put together and fastened by riveting the pivot-pin 9; or the jaws may first be pivoted together and the handle 14. of the lever 12 be inserted in the perforation 18, and then the lever maybe bent at 13 to give the proper angle between the handle let and the brace 15, so that when the handle is closed down the brace will have swung rearward a little past the dead-center point, so that the effort of the spring 10 to open the jaws and to close their rear ends has a tendency to hold the brace in position for service. The lever 12 thus formed cannot be removed from the clasp-jaw unless it is forcibly bent out of its proper form. Un der some circumstances it is desirable to hang the lever with its handle 14. to the rear of its pivotal shoulders, as shown in Fig. V. In this condition as the rear end of the hingejaw plate would not project so far as the bandle the said handle would not be supported when the brace 15 passes center. therefore formed a shoulder 21 in the jawplate opposite to the hinge-plate as a stop to the foot of the brace. This hinge-joint is simple and inexpensive, and the elbow-lever is easy of operation and thoroughly reliable to hold the jaws closed upon any object.

The whole device is light, small, and neat I have.

Having thus fully described my invention, v

what I believe to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. The combination of a pair of clasp-jaws pivoted together midway, a spring between them acting to open the jaws, a perforation through the rear end of one of the j awplates,

20 and an elbow-lever whose handle is fitted to pass through the perforation and having a brace portion with shoulders broader than the perforation to bear upon the jaw-plate and prevent the further passage of the lever therethrough, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a pair of jaws pivoted together midway, a spring located between the jaws and acting thereon to open them, an elbow-lever hinged to the rear end of one of the jaw-plates and having a brace portion between the plates, and a shoulder on the plate opposite the hinge-plate to stop the foot of the said brace, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN V. PILCHER. Witnesses:

ZACK PHELPS, HARRY C. PULLIAM. 

